Tag Archives: squad

Hi Unique you dropped your phone #PIO #SocialMedia

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Law enforcement has been in some tough situations. Most recently, social media has been credited with engaging the public.

In fact, some agencies have used social media to engage suspects who may leave items behind on a scene of a crime. Oooooo, evidence!

But this is not one of those cases.

On 07-04-18, this image was initially shared on Facebook then across various social media platforms.

The image with caption inferring that local law enforcement agency was pursuing the suspect and that the suspect dropped his/her cell phone while eluding law enforcement. Then, in order to reach out to the suspect and friends of the suspect, local law enforcement uses the suspect’s social media account to reach out and taunt.

While funny for public safety, we as trusting public safety pros need to take time to dispel rumors and verify facts. PIOs should be at the front line of this issue.

And yes, this post was actually fake. What the whut?

Here’s Chicago Police PIO Anthony Guglielmi’s response to this post gone viral.

Sooooooo, to recap:

  • The initial Facebook post was not associated to incident.
  • Image was borrowed from unrelated event.
  • LEOs were not involved in pursuit of suspect.
  • Law enforcement agencies are usually professional.
  • PIO was on it and addressed concern once information was vetted w/ 7th District.
  • Squashed viral post with real information. #truth

Well done CPD PIO!

Again, as PIOs we are the shepherds of our agency when it comes to reporting the facts and dispelling the rumors.

We as PIOs must remain vigilant and dispel rumors as soon as they appear. This is your job. The agency’s reputation is on the line so ensure the longevity and be cognizant of your agency’s image 24/7.

@rusnivek

Um, is that a #Fire #Hydrant #condom? #Firefighter

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Sooooo, is this like a winter condom for your fire hydrant?

Glow in the dark reflective so you can find it better in the dark!!!

I love the extra effort people make to support their local fire department.

#SafetySur approves!

@rusnivek

 

PIO-ing Cleveland’s Public Square during #PrideInTheCLE #ClevelandPride

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Yesterday, I supported Cleveland Police on the #PrideInTheCLE #ClevelandPride event in Public Square.

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Much different from the Republican National Convention.

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Lots of families out and about (and enjoying) the new cool fountain in downtown Cleveland.

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Everyone was having a great time.

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Lots of speculation and talk about public safety not being around to support the LGBT community – all totally false. Public Safety will be there to support any community.

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Trust me, lots of public safety was on hand to support our entire community.

Cleveland Police Bomb Squad and K9 teams…

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Cleveland EMS…

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..even the Cleveland Police bike patrol was out supporting the day’s events.

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Lots of areas to cover.

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Partnerships with the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department and Cleveland Police Department are key in providing safety for everyone who attended the event.

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It was a relatively hot day so I am glad that many of the participants dressed appropriately for the event.

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Some not so much.

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Fun entertainment and friendly people staying cool out in Public Square.

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While waiting around, we had some time for a quick PIO selfie…

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Also had time for a few interviews with local media.

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Also happy to run into a long time good friend Mark Zinni who is the anchor for the Channel 3 Eyewitness News in Hartford, Connecticut. Great to see him again.

Thanks for the picture Zinni!

Thanks for the picture Zinni!

Can’t wait to see him again in Cleveland.

While out there, we even made a few new peeps into Junior Police Officers.

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Thanks Ken!

We were fortunate enough to do a few live interviews on Periscope from Public Square.

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We highlighted the event and gave a status report of the operations using Periscope.

Ever wonder what it’s like to hang with onscene PIOs? Here’s a behind the scenes shot of us doing some live interviews on Periscope.

Thanks for the pic Zinni!

Thanks for the action shot Zinni!

Trust me, it’s harder than it looks.

Overall, it was great to see so many people out on a Saturday afternoon in Cleveland.

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As always, I had a great time working the PIO magic with Jen!

IMG_7650We make a pretty good team huh?

Hope everyone stayed dry while the rain hit.

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Great safe event everyone!

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Have a great weekend!

@rusnivek

 

Some helpful social media terminology #SMEM

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I’m often asked about terminology found on social media. Here are the 12 most commonly asked terms (as of 11-06-15):

1. Squad

Definition: Your crew, your team, your trusted agents aka your BFF (Best Friends Forever)

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SM example: Heading to the White House w/ my squad. #SquadGoals

2. Ghosting

Definition: Ending a relationship by completely ignoring the other person on all social media platforms.

SM example: Dayum! Chastity ghosting Frank because he cheated.

3. Bye, Felicia

Definition: A term used to be dismissive of someone first popularized by the hit movie Friday (1995). Thanks for the team from MT on this info.

SM example: Hold up, you said you were going but now you are bailing? Not cool. Bye, Felicia.

(Note: There is some discussion on the possibility of this statement being perceived as degrading females)

4. On fleek

Definition: On point, looking good

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SM example: @Ohio_EMA Nancy’s first selfie is on fleek!

5. Cray

Definition: Short hand abbreviation of crazy.

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SM example: Overstaffed Friday night at NRFD – It’s about to get cray!

6. BAE

Definition: Before anyone else or a term of affection to another person

SM example: “he was supposed to be bae a long time ago but I got friendzoned so now we’re bffs but you know, that’s better than nothing so.” -(@sosatooturnt_ on 12-22-14 at 0405)

7. FOMO

Definition: Fear of missing out

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SM example: It’s cool, I’ll just sit here nursing my FOMO.

8. Turnt

Definition: excited or super hyper

SM example: He dispatched the heavy rescue team?!? This crash is bout to get turnt!

9. #FF or #FridayFollow

Definition: Primarily on Twitter, this trendy hashtag is used on Fridays to recommend to others to follow.

SM example: #FF #FridayFollow @ReadyGov @PrepareAthon @FEMA @DHSGov @DisasterCTR @TEEX_NERRTC @CDPFEMA @CTOSRadNucTrng @NCBRT @SERTC_training

10. “Swipe-right or swipe-left”

Definition: An action used on the social media app Tinder for social acquaintances. The in app action of swiping on the picture to the left denotes you do not want to have interactions with the person (aka NOPE) and the action of swiping on the picture to the right denotes you have interest in the person featured (aka LIKE).

SM example: Brandy is so fake and under qualified, definitely swipe-left.

11. Troll

Definition: A person who only engages online discussion to create controversy.

SM example: Donald is not helping this convo at all. He’s just being a troll.

12. Doe

Definition: An abbreviation of the word though.

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SM example: SFFD Truck-1! Dat tiller doe

A few other acronyms that still pop up:

  • ICYMI: In case you missed it
  • TBT: Throwback Thursdays
  • MCM: Man Crush Mondays
  • NBD: No big deal
  • WCW: Woman Crush Wednesdays
  • NSFW: Not safe for work
  • AFAIK: As far as I know
  • FBO: Facebook official
  • IRL: In real life
  • YOLO: You only live once
  • SMH: Shaking my head
  • LMK: Let me know

Like many social media apps, these terms will likely expire and new ones will come up.

For now, I hope this helps discern some social media terminology.

@rusnivek

Safety-PIO-SM-14-010-Appropriate-for-Social-Media ?

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14-010: Appropriate for Social Media?
Agency: The back of the ambulance Topic(s):         Posting on SM
Date: Fall 2014 Platform:        Instagram

At times, social media is very emotional and many users like to share intimate moments with all their followers. The reality of social media is great…except when it is done inappropriately. That’s just what Instagram user rnashleeyyy_xx did in the back of an ambulance.

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“Love is in the air…” are great lyrics, however, I don’t believe this type of behavior is appropriate for an ambulance. This isn’t a hotel…real patient care occurs in the back of the ambulance! This is a professional environment. Keep it that way.

 

Also, I am fairly sure Zeus didn’t write that in his SOGs. No matter the justification, people will immediately judge and in the court of public opinion, these actions are not considered professional. And no, the caption/description will not deter or change focus as the visual image hits the news.

 

So basically, stop making out in the back of the ambulance.

 

The amount of stuff that happens back here is enough to scare an entire country. Infection control alone should be enough of a deterrent. Think about it.

 

Any agency on social media should have a social media strategy and a plan that includes guidelines on how employees should use social media and who they interact with. The plan can outline how members should conduct activities on social media as well as identify dangers on how, if used inappropriately, will reflect poorly upon the agency. No matter your threshold of acceptance or approval, monitor your employees use of social media. They are a direct reflection on your agency, your brand, and you.

 

General social media tips to keep in mind:

  1. Know what your employees are posting on social media platforms.
  2. Your employees are a direct representation of your brand/image on social media.
  3. The disclaimer “My views expressed here do not reflect my employer’s views” will NOT hold up in court.
  4. Regularly search for your agency’s name to monitor the online discussion(s).
  5. You work hard to build your brand on social media…Keep it that way.

 

Time is valuable, so tweet good stuff.

@rusnivek

***To download this as a single-page printable format, click this file:

Safety-PIO-SM-14-010-Appropriate-for-Social-Media-a

 

No complaining-offer solutions-Safety-PIO-SM-14-008

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14-008: No complaining – offer solutions
Agency: Long Beach Fire Topic(s):         Public Perception and Solutions
Date: Fall 2014 Platform:        Twitter

Complaining or venting on social media is fairly common. However, as an official agency, public displays of affliction does not portray the best image. Long Beach Fire expressed some displeasure on Twitter when discussing the their pilot program.

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After reading this tweet, the public’s perception is that if 9-1-1 is called, no ambulances will respond. This is irresponsible and wrong. (Almost all emergency services have mutual aid agreements or memorandum of understandings in place.)

 

Positioning your agency as a fear mongerer or the Harbinger of Evil will only further distance yourself from people who would be willing to help your cause. Inform them of dangers, but more importantly, engage them publically on social.

 

If there is internal displeasure with the new staffing models, be proactive and offer transparent solutions in the tweet. Cite websites that provide industry information. Publically share statistical data that supports changes with current programs. These online tactics will help direct and educate the general public on how to be better informed on other program and possible other options yet unexplored.

 

Additionally you can rally your constituents behind better initiatives by engaging with them publically via social media. It demonstrates that your department’s community involvement is a key part of a better solution.

As an official account, Twitter’s 140-character limit is really no place to moan/groan.

A more effective tweet could have read:

LBFD resources are maxed out. #Firefighters cannot provide adequate #Paramedic service to our communities. Help us find a solution <insert link here>

By phrasing it this way:

  1. You identify that resources are…well…maxed out.
  2. You use hashtags (#Firefighters and #Paramedic) that will help increase visibility in your tweets.
  3. You stress the importance of providing dedicated service to your community.
  4. You provide a traceable/measureable link that informs and helps bring visibility to this critical situation.

Time is valuable, so tweet good stuff.

@rusnivek

***To download this as a single-page printable format, click this file:

No complaining-offer solutions-Safety-PIO-SM-14-008

Technical jargon and giving actionable information Safety-PIO-SM-14-006

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14-006: Technical jargon and giving actionable information
Agency: Chicago Fire Department Topic(s): Industry codes / Actionable info
Date: Fall 2014 Platform: Twitter

Industry speak or technical jargon is part of what we do every day. But using technical terms on a social media platform will be confusing to those who are NOT in the fire service. That’s what the Chicago Fire Department did yesterday at their big 3-alarm fire when they tweeted technical jargon.

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The use of technical jargon is rampant in emergency services but when speaking to the media or the general public, we need to remember that everyone did not grow up with a VOX alarm or SCU tones. In this case, a “311” or 3-11 alarm means that there are 11 engines, 5 Trucks, 2 Tower Ladders, 6 Battalion Chiefs, 1 Rescue Squad, 2 Ambulances, 2 Paramedic Chiefs, Deputy District Chief, Deputy Fire Commissioner, and the 1st Deputy Fire Commissioner are onscene. There is no way to include all that information in a tweet, but using more simple terms will help your audience understand the scale of your ongoing incident.

Before you post images, make sure your pictures are rotated correctly. I know accuracy is sometimes overlooked in lieu of speed, but it takes less than 5 seconds to orientate/rotate a picture (In this case, it was going to be a long operation). And note, by just rotating a picture does not equate that you are “doctoring up” photos. But a correctly posted photo will help media repost and format your information quicker to the masses.

During an emergency situation, your constituents need the information pushes to be actionable and specific to your audience. Not only inform them of the danger, but tell them what they can do about it.

A more effective tweet could have read:

Chicago Fire: Large 3-alarm fire at Harrison St x Fifth Ave. Traffic delays-avoid the area. (insert two pictures)

By phrasing it this way:

  1. You cite the authority having jurisdiction and established incident command presence.
  2. You generally described the size/category of the ongoing incident and critical information to media.
  3. You identify the exact location of the incident.
  4. You describe the delays in the area and give actionable information to your constituents.
  5. You still have lots of room to push properly orientated pictures with your informational tweet.

 

Time is valuable, so tweet good stuff.

@rusnivek

***To download this as a single-page printable format, click this file:

TechnicalJargonAndGivingActionableInformation-Safety-PIO-SM-14-006